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Southern Wax Myrtle Hedge

$7995 $15995
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Your Plants are Guaranteed to Grow

Your plants are guaranteed to arrive happy & healthy with our 1 Year Warranty. Your order will arrive healthy and stay healthy while they adapt to your climate. If your tree arrives damaged or dies within 30 days, we'll replace it for free. If it dies after 30 days, but before 1 year, we will replace it for just 50% of the current price.

Free Shipping on All Orders

Relax... we've got you covered with free shipping on every order! We ship out so many huge plants, we've negotiated a low rate with our carriers... and we pass those savings on to you! Your plants will ship out the next business day... expertly packed so that your plants will arrive happy and healthy!

Is Now a Good Time to Plant?

Yes! Fall is one of the best times to plant!

Landscaping experts often recommend planting in fall instead of waiting until spring. Here’s why:

  • Cooler weather puts less stress on newly planted trees and shrubs.
  • Fall soil is still warm, which helps roots grow and get established.
  • Cooler temperatures mean less water is lost through the leaves, making it easier for plants to stay hydrated.
  • Even after top growth slows for winter, roots continue developing below ground.
  • Fall weather often brings more rain and less heat, making new plants easier to care for.
  • By spring, your plants already have a head start. Their established roots can support strong new leaves, branches, and flowers.
  • Trees planted in spring must establish their roots while also dealing with rising temperatures and summer heat.

Plant this fall, and your trees can spend the cooler months getting settled instead of waiting until spring to get started!

Planting your Southern Wax Myrtle Hedge

Planting Instructions for Southern Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera)

Site Selection and Soil Preparation:

  • Location: Choose a location with full sun to partial shade. Southern Wax Myrtle can tolerate a wide range of light conditions, but it will thrive best and produce denser foliage in full sun.
  • Soil: Southern Wax Myrtle prefers well-draining soil but is adaptable to various soil types, including sandy or clay soils. It tolerates wet areas, making it useful in rain gardens or near water features. Slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 5.5-7.0) is ideal.
  • Spacing: If planting multiple Wax Myrtles as a hedge or screen, space them 6-10 feet apart, depending on how dense you want the planting.
  • Digging: Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but not deeper than the root ball itself. This will help encourage roots to spread horizontally in search of nutrients and water.

Planting:

  • Place the plant in the hole, ensuring the top of the root ball is slightly above soil level to prevent the plant from sinking and drowning in waterlogged soil.
  • Backfill the hole with the original soil, mixing in some compost if needed to improve soil structure and fertility.
  • Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the roots.
  • Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the base, keeping it a few inches away from the trunk. Mulching helps retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds.

Care Instructions

  1. Watering: Southern Wax Myrtle is drought-tolerant once established, but regular watering during the first year is essential to help establish deep roots. Water deeply once or twice a week during dry periods, ensuring the soil remains moist but not soggy.
  2. Fertilizing: Southern Wax Myrtle generally requires little to no fertilizing. However, if the soil is poor, you can apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) in early spring to encourage growth. An annual top dressing of compost or organic matter can also help nourish the soil.
  3. Monitoring: Wax Myrtles are relatively low-maintenance, but keep an eye on the plant for signs of nutrient deficiencies (yellowing leaves) or overwatering (droopy, waterlogged appearance). It is generally resistant to pests and diseases.

Maintenance and Long-Term Care

  1. Pruning: Pruning is rarely needed, but light pruning can be done to shape the plant or remove any dead or damaged branches. If used as a hedge or screen, prune in late winter or early spring to maintain a compact, dense shape. Wax Myrtles can also be pruned as small trees or large shrubs, depending on your preference.
  • For hedge use, prune lightly in summer to maintain its size and shape, but avoid heavy pruning in fall to prevent damage from frost on new growth.
  1. Pest and Disease Control: Southern Wax Myrtle is typically pest and disease-resistant. Occasionally, it may attract scale insects or aphids, which can be treated with neem oil or insecticidal soap if infestations occur. Ensure good air circulation around the plant to prevent fungal diseases, especially in humid conditions.
  2. Winter Care: Southern Wax Myrtle is hardy in USDA zones 7-11. It can withstand brief cold snaps but may need protection in the northern range of its hardiness. In colder zones, a heavy layer of mulch around the base in late fall will help insulate the roots from freezing temperatures. If exposed to extreme cold, leaves may brown, but the plant usually recovers in spring.

Benefits and Seasonal Features

  • Fragrance: The aromatic leaves of Southern Wax Myrtle emit a pleasant, spicy fragrance when crushed, making it a wonderful addition to sensory gardens.
  • Wildlife Value: Southern Wax Myrtle produces small, waxy blue-gray berries in late fall and winter, which are an important food source for birds. This plant is ideal for wildlife gardens and naturalized areas.
  • Soil Stabilization: Wax Myrtle is an excellent choice for erosion control on slopes or areas with poor soil, as it spreads via suckers to form colonies and stabilize the ground.
What Customers say about the Southern Wax Myrtle Hedge:

The Southern Wax Myrtle Hedge thrives in Zones 7-11

Growing Zones for the Southern Wax Myrtle Hedge

If you live in the green area above, we recommend the Southern Wax Myrtle Hedge.

Your Growing Zone
Recommended Zones 7-11
Mature Height 15 ft.
Mature Width 10-15 ft.
Cannot Ship To AZ, OR
Sunlight Full to Partial Sun
Botanical Name Morella cerifera

Plants that Make a Difference

For 20+ years, our team has shipped healthy, established plants to gardeners like you- all across the country. Every plant is selected and cared for by our plant experts before it ships to your door.

  • 20+ Years Experience

  • Superior Quality

  • Free Shipping on All Orders

  • Guaranteed to Grow

Southern Wax Myrtle - NationwidePlants.com

Beware- not all Southern Wax Myrtles are the same.

Be sure to get superior evergreen shrubs, grown by experts.

Better Roots Make Stronger Plants: Some nurseries send you "bare root" evergreen shrubs to save on shipping. Even worse, others have started digging them right out of the ground before shipping. This causes major transplant shock and long-term damage. We send you Southern Wax Myrtles in soil-filled containers- ensuring a well-developed root system that will explode with growth!

Healthy Plants: We've seen other nurseries grow tall evergreen shrubs in tiny pots to save on shipping. This leads to a "root bound" shrub, where the roots have outgrown their pot- they cannot absorb water and nutrients. They quickly dry out during shipment, leading to an unhealthy shrub.

Southern Wax Myrtle is one tough, fast-growing evergreen- a quick privacy screen that handles almost any soil.

  • Fast-growing privacy: about 15 ft. tall and 10-15 ft. wide
  • Easy hedge: plant 6-10 ft. apart for a dense screen
  • Aromatic evergreen leaves, plus berries on female plants that attract birds
  • Very tough: sandy, clay or wet soil, drought tolerant once established, zones 7-11

Not all plants are created equal

The Difference Is in the Roots

Every plant we ship has grown in a nursery container with its roots protected, so it arrives healthy, established and ready to thrive in your yard.

A full, branched Nationwide Plants tree in a nursery pot next to a thin bare-root tree with exposed roots Ours: container grown Theirs: bare root
Nationwide Plants Other Nurseries
How it's grown Grown in a nursery container, roots protected the whole time Pulled or dug from the field, tearing fragile roots
How it arrives Arrives in its pot with soil intact Arrives bare root, exposed and drying out
Before shipping Growing naturally until it ships Held dormant in a cooler, then shocked by a hot shipping box
Root health Strong, well-developed roots with room to grow Crammed into a small pot until it's root bound
Height Measured from the top of the soil Often includes the pot and roots
After planting Settles in quickly with less transplant shock Arrives stressed and can take years to recover, if it does

The height you see is the height you plant.

We measure every plant from the top of the soil, not the bottom of the pot. Many nurseries include the pot and roots, so a "5–6 ft." tree from them might stand only 4 ft. tall once it's planted.

Comparisons reflect common practices across the online plant industry, not any single company.

Honest Measurements: Some nurseries measure plants including the pot and roots, so the plant you receive is much smaller than you expected. We measure all of our plants from the soil line, so the height you see is what you can expect after planting.

From our nursery to your door

How We Ship Your Plants

Every order is hand-selected, watered and carefully packed so it arrives healthy and ready to plant. Here's what happens after you place your order.

  1. Hand-Picked for You

    Our team selects the best plant available for your order. For privacy trees, that's the tallest and fullest. For fruit trees, it's the best branched.

    Why it matters: Many online nurseries ship whatever is next in the row.

  2. A Deep Drink Before the Trip

    Every plant gets a thorough watering right before it's packed, so it starts the journey fully hydrated.

  3. Roots Sealed In

    We wrap the pot and roots in plastic to lock in moisture, so your plant has water to drink all the way to your door.

    Why it matters: Bare-root plants are often shipped with their roots exposed and drying out.

  4. Braced for the Ride

    Cardboard inserts are secured inside every box to hold your plant in place, so it won't slide, tip or get damaged in transit.

  5. Shipped Only by FedEx

    We ship your trees exclusively with FedEx. We've found they deliver the fastest and handle live plants the most gently.

And if anything goes wrong, every plant is backed by our 1 Year Warranty.

Healthy Roots Make a Huge Difference

  • Never buy bare-root plants. These trees are starved of nutrients, and have a low survival rate.
  • Beware of nurseries cut corners by growing in small pots. These "rootbound" plants are weak, struggle to absorb nutrients, and die quickly after planting.
  • Some nurseries try to sell oversized plants, but chop off vital roots so they can cram the rootball into a narrow box to save on shipping!

You Want Southern Wax Myrtles Grown by Experts

Some nurseries ship tall but skinny shrubs that were grown in tiny pots to save money. These "root bound" plants struggle after planting and take much longer to fill in your privacy screen.

Nationwide Plants only sends you strong Southern Wax Myrtles, selected and cared for by our plant experts, with healthy, developed root systems. That means they settle in quickly and start filling in your screen sooner.

How many Southern Wax Myrtle Hedge do I need?

Plan your privacy screen in three quick steps.

2What look do you want?
3How far apart will you plant them?

Enter your length to see how many trees you need.

Read more about the Southern Wax Myrtle Hedge

Southern Wax Myrtle – Versatile, Fast-Growing Evergreen with Year-Round Beauty & Excellent Privacy

The Southern Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) is a hardy, fast-growing evergreen shrub that offers lush, fragrant foliage and excellent adaptability. Known for its versatility and low-maintenance care, this shrub is perfect for creating natural privacy screens, hedges, or as a foundation plant. With its attractive, aromatic leaves and ability to thrive in a variety of soil conditions, the Southern Wax Myrtle brings year-round beauty and practical benefits to any landscape.

Key Features of Southern Wax Myrtle:

  • Fast-Growing & Versatile: Grows quickly to 10-15 feet tall, ideal for privacy screens, hedges, or as a landscape accent.
  • Fragrant Evergreen Foliage: Features aromatic, olive-green leaves that stay vibrant throughout the year, providing year-round interest.
  • Adaptable & Hardy: Thrives in USDA Zones 7-11, tolerating heat, humidity, and poor soil conditions, including sandy and coastal areas.
  • Wildlife Friendly: Produces small blue berries that attract birds and provides excellent shelter for wildlife.
  • Low Maintenance: Requires minimal care once established, with excellent drought tolerance and the ability to grow in both sun and partial shade.

Fast-Growing for Quick Privacy and Screening

The Southern Wax Myrtle is known for its rapid growth, quickly reaching heights of 10-20 feet with a spread of 8-10 feet. This fast-growing nature makes it an ideal choice for homeowners looking to create natural privacy screens, windbreaks, or living fences in a short period of time. Whether planted along property lines, around patios, or to block out unwanted views, the Southern Wax Myrtle provides dense coverage and a lush backdrop that enhances your outdoor space.

Fragrant Evergreen Foliage for Year-Round Interest

One of the standout features of the Southern Wax Myrtle is its aromatic foliage. The olive-green, lance-shaped leaves emit a pleasant, spicy fragrance when crushed, adding an extra sensory dimension to your garden. Unlike deciduous shrubs that lose their leaves in winter, this evergreen keeps its vibrant green color year-round, providing continuous beauty and structure to your landscape through every season.

Adaptable to Various Conditions

The Southern Wax Myrtle is incredibly versatile and thrives in a wide range of growing conditions, making it perfect for coastal, sandy, or poor soils. It can tolerate salt spray, making it an excellent choice for coastal gardens, and it performs well in hot, humid climates. This shrub is also highly adaptable to different lighting conditions, thriving in both full sun and partial shade. Its ability to withstand challenging environments makes it a reliable choice for low-maintenance landscapes or areas with less-than-ideal growing conditions.

Wildlife Friendly with Attractive Berries

In addition to its ornamental value, the Southern Wax Myrtle is a wildlife-friendly shrub that provides food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. In fall, the plant produces small, waxy blue berries that attract various bird species, adding life and movement to your garden. The dense branches offer excellent nesting sites and protection for birds and small animals, making this shrub a great choice for gardeners who want to support local wildlife.

Low Maintenance and Drought Tolerant

Once established, the Southern Wax Myrtle is remarkably low-maintenance, requiring minimal watering and care. Its natural drought tolerance means it can thrive even in dry conditions, making it a fantastic option for homeowners seeking a worry-free, resilient plant. The shrub rarely needs pruning but can be shaped as needed to maintain its size and structure. Its resistance to pests and diseases makes it an easy addition to any garden.

Perfect for Privacy, Hedging, and Foundation Planting

With its dense growth and attractive foliage, the Southern Wax Myrtle is incredibly versatile in landscape design. It can be used as a large hedge or privacy screen, planted in mass along property lines, or used as a foundation plant to soften the edges of your home or garden beds. Its compact and bushy nature also makes it a great filler for larger garden spaces, while its fragrant leaves add texture and scent to your outdoor living areas.

Why Choose Nationwide Plants?

At Nationwide Plants, we are committed to offering the highest-quality trees and shrubs, grown with care to ensure they arrive at your home healthy and ready to thrive. Our Southern Wax Myrtle plants are hand-selected for their beauty, resilience, and adaptability, making them the perfect choice for any landscape. With fast shipping and excellent customer service, Nationwide Plants makes it easy to enhance your garden with this versatile evergreen shrub.

Bring Year-Round Beauty and Privacy to Your Landscape – Order Your Southern Wax Myrtle Today!

Transform your yard with the fast-growing, low-maintenance Southern Wax Myrtle. Perfect for privacy screens, hedges, or as a versatile landscape accent, this evergreen shrub brings year-round beauty, fragrance, and wildlife appeal to any outdoor space. Order today from Nationwide Plants and enjoy fast, reliable delivery of this exceptional shrub right to your door!

Frequently Asked Questions about the Southern Wax Myrtle Hedge

How tall does a Southern Wax Myrtle get?

A Southern Wax Myrtle grows to about 15 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, forming a dense, rounded evergreen. It can be kept as a large shrub or hedge with regular trimming, or limbed up and trained into an attractive small multi-trunk tree.

How fast does Southern Wax Myrtle grow?

Southern Wax Myrtle is a fast-growing evergreen that fills in quickly, making it a popular choice when you want a privacy screen or windbreak in a short time. Regular watering during the first year helps it develop deep roots so it can put on vigorous growth in the seasons that follow.

How far apart should I plant Southern Wax Myrtle for a hedge?

Space Southern Wax Myrtle plants 6 to 10 feet apart for a hedge or privacy screen. Use the closer spacing for a dense, quick-filling screen and the wider spacing for a looser, more natural look. Dig holes twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper.

What zones does Southern Wax Myrtle grow in?

Southern Wax Myrtle is hardy in USDA zones 7 through 11 and handles heat and humidity well. In the northern part of its range it may need protection during hard freezes; a heavy layer of mulch helps, and cold-browned leaves usually recover in spring.

Does Southern Wax Myrtle grow in shade?

Yes, Southern Wax Myrtle grows in full sun to partial shade and tolerates a wide range of light conditions. For the densest foliage and best screening, plant it where it receives full sun, since plants in heavier shade tend to grow more open.

What soil does Southern Wax Myrtle need?

Southern Wax Myrtle adapts to many soils, including sandy and clay soils, and even tolerates wet areas, making it useful in rain gardens and near water features. It prefers well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0.

How do you prune a Southern Wax Myrtle hedge?

Prune a Southern Wax Myrtle hedge in late winter or early spring to maintain a compact, dense shape, with light trimming in summer to control size. Avoid heavy pruning in fall, since tender new growth can be damaged by frost. It tolerates even heavy pruning well.

Is Southern Wax Myrtle fragrant?

Yes, Southern Wax Myrtle has aromatic, olive-green leaves that release a pleasant, spicy fragrance when crushed or brushed against. Female plants also produce small blue-gray berries that attract birds, and the dense evergreen branches offer excellent shelter for wildlife. Plant it near a path or patio to enjoy the scent.

Is Southern Wax Myrtle drought tolerant?

Yes, Southern Wax Myrtle is drought tolerant once established. During its first year, water deeply once or twice a week in dry periods to help it build deep roots. After that it needs little supplemental watering and generally little to no fertilizer.

Can Southern Wax Myrtle ship to Arizona or Oregon?

No, Southern Wax Myrtle cannot be shipped to Arizona or Oregon due to state plant shipping restrictions. For other states it is available as 1 to 2 foot plants or in a 3 gallon size, ready for planting as a hedge or screen.
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